1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a multiple listening training device, and more particularly, to a device which is suitable for training simultaneous listening to a plurality of audio exercises or video/audio exercises, the contents of which are different from each other, and a recording medium for multiple listening training suitable to be played back in such a device.
2. Related Art
To enhance the information processing ability of human, various kinds of learning materials, learning courses and training methods have been proposed.
An inventor of the present application has recognized plasticity of human brain and dedicated himself to a study thereof. As a result, he found that by adopting a specific training method which employs audio materials or image/audio materials, the information processing ability of the human brain, i.e., function of the brain for memorizing and learning can be efficiently enhanced. That is, it was found that while a plurality of audio exercises or video/audio exercises, the contents of which are different from each other, are played back in accordance with a specific procedure, a learner continues a training to listen to these contents in a bottom-up system, whereby the learner becomes able to simultaneously listen to two or more audio exercises or video/audio exercises.
Therefore, it is a feature of the present invention to provide a multiple listening training device which is novel and suitable for training simultaneous listening to a plurality of audio exercises or video/audio exercises, the contents of which are different from each other. It is another feature of the present invention to provide a recording medium which is particularly suitable to be played back in such a multiple listening training device.
To achieve the above-mentioned features, a multiple listening training device, consistent with the principles of the present invention, is provided by such a multiple listening training device, wherein a plurality of audio exercises, the contents of which are different from each other, are prepared and stored as sound data, playing back via an audio playback device one turn of audio material comprising a first part playing back simultaneously k pieces of audio exercises, a second part playing back simultaneously m pieces of audio exercises and a third part playing back simultaneously n pieces of audio exercises, the first part, the second part and the third part being arranged by time series (wherein k, m, n are integers not less than 1 and k less than n less than m).
According to the multiple listening training device having such a constitution, with respect to a learner, a stimulus of listening to the one turn of audio material comprising k pieces of audio exercises, m pieces of audio exercises and n pieces of audio exercises is conveyed to a human brain through his/her sense of hearing. By the training for multiple listening to the audio material having a specific pattern comprising k pieces of audio exercises (weak stimulus or light learning load), m pieces of audio exercises (strong stimulus or heavy learning load) and n pieces of audio exercises (medium stimulus or medium learning load), the human brain gradually becomes able to listen to n pieces of audio exercises (wherein n greater than k and n is an integer not less than 1) whereas only k pieces (wherein k is an integer not less than 1) of audio exercises can be initially listened to. Such a brain function is called xe2x80x9cplasticity of brainxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9csynapse plasticityxe2x80x9d which means that new nervous circuit pertinent to memorizing and learning of the audio exercises is formed, when a signal having the strength equal to or more than a fixed threshold value is input. The multiple listening training device consistent with the principles of the present invention, which employs the specific pattern comprising k pieces of audio exercises (weak stimulus or light learning load), m pieces of audio exercises (strong stimulus or heavy learning load) and n pieces of audio exercises (medium stimulus or medium learning load), makes it go possible to raise the level in which the learner can simultaneously listen to only k pieces of audio exercises, to the level in which the learner can simultaneously listen to n pieces of audio exercises by the training in the bottom-up system.
A multiple listening training device, is provided by such a multiple listening training device, wherein: a first turn of audio material comprising the first part playing back simultaneously k pieces of audio exercises, the second part playing back simultaneously m pieces of audio exercises and the third part playing back simultaneously n pieces of audio exercises; a second turn of audio material comprising a first part playing back simultaneously (k+1) pieces of audio exercises, a second part playing back simultaneously (m+1) pieces of audio exercises and a third part playing back simultaneously (n+1) pieces of audio exercises; a pth (p is an integer not less than 3) turn of audio material comprising a first part playing back simultaneously (k+pxe2x88x921) pieces of audio exercises, a second part playing back simultaneously (m+pxe2x88x921) pieces of audio exercises and a third part playing back simultaneously (n+pxe2x88x921) pieces of audio exercises, and the first turn to the pth turn are constituted so as to be played back corresponding to the rise of the learning level of a learner. Hereby, the level of the simultaneous listening ability of the learner can be sequentially raised from two pieces of audio exercises to three pieces of audio exercises, and further to the more number of audio exercises corresponding to the progress of learning of the learner.
A multiple listening training device, consistent with the principles of the present invention, is provided by such a multiple listening training device, wherein a plurality of video/audio exercises, the contents of which are different from each other, are prepared and stored as image/sound data, playing back via a video/audio playback device one turn of video/audio material comprising, a first part playing back simultaneously k pieces of video/audio exercises, a second part playing back simultaneously m pieces of video/audio exercises and a third part playing back simultaneously n pieces of video/audio exercises, the first part, the second part and the third part being arranged by time series (wherein k, m, n are integers not less than 1 and k less than n less than m).
Thus constituted, since image and sound are simultaneously played back, the stimuli can be simultaneously conveyed to the human brain through the senses of sight and hearing. Accordingly, the stimulus for increasing the plasticity of the brain is intensified and the efficiency of the multiple listening training can also be enhanced.
Sound and image are simultaneously played back, similar to the aforementioned case where the sound only is played back, in the multiple listening training device consistent with the principles of the present invention provided by such a multiple listening training device, wherein: a first turn of image/audio material comprising the first part playing back simultaneously k pieces of video/audio exercises, the second part playing back simultaneously m pieces of video/audio exercises and the third part playing back simultaneously n pieces of video/audio exercises, a second turn of image/audio material comprising a first part playing back simultaneously (k+1) pieces of video/audio exercises, a second part playing back simultaneously (m+1) pieces of video/audio exercises and a third part playing back simultaneously (n+1) pieces of video/audio exercises, a pth (p is an integer not less than 3) turn of image/audio material comprising a first part playing back simultaneously (k+pxe2x88x921) pieces of video/audio exercises, a second part playing back simultaneously (m+pxe2x88x921) pieces of video/audio exercises and a third part playing back simultaneously (n+pxe2x88x921) pieces of video/audio exercises, and the first turn to the pth turn are constituted so as to be played back corresponding to the rise of the learning level of a learner.
A material suitable for the multiple listening training device consistent with the principles of the present invention may be provided as a multiple listening training recording medium, wherein a plurality of audio exercises, the contents of which are different from each other, are prepared, one turn of audio material comprising a first part playing back simultaneously k pieces of audio exercises, a second part playing back simultaneously m pieces of audio exercises and a third part playing back simultaneously n pieces of audio exercises, the first part, the second part and the third part being arranged in time series, is recorded so as to be played back via an audio playback device (wherein k, m, n are integers not less than 1 and k less than n less than m).
Such a multiple listening training recording medium may be a multiple listening training recording medium, wherein: a first turn of audio material comprising the first part playing back simultaneously k pieces of audio exercises, the second part playing back simultaneously m pieces of audio exercises and the third part playing back simultaneously n pieces of audio exercises, a second turn of audio material comprising a first part playing back simultaneously (k+1) pieces of audio exercises, a second part playing back simultaneously (m+1) pieces of audio exercises and a third part playing back simultaneously (n+1) pieces of audio exercises, a pth (p is an integer not less than 3) turn of audio material comprising a first part playing back simultaneously (k+pxe2x88x921) pieces of audio exercises, a second part playing back simultaneously (m+pxe2x88x921) pieces of audio exercises and a third part playing back simultaneously (n+pxe2x88x921) pieces of audio exercises, the first part, ant the second part and the third part being arranged by time series, and the first turn to the pth turn are recorded separately corresponding to the learning level of a learner.
To play back image and sound simultaneously, a multiple listening training recording medium may be a multiple listening training recording medium, wherein a plurality of video/audio exercises, the contents of which are different from each other, are prepared, one turn of image/audio material comprising a first part playing back simultaneously k pieces of video/audio exercises, a second part playing back simultaneously m pieces of video/audio exercises and a third part playing back simultaneously n pieces of video/audio exercises, the first part, the second second part and the third part being arranged by time series, is recorded so as to be played back via an audio playback device (wherein k, m, n are integers not less than 1 and k less than n less than m).
Alternatively, a multiple listening training device may a multiple listening training recording medium, wherein: a first turn of image/audio material comprising the first part playing back simultaneously k pieces of video/audio exercises, the second part playing back simultaneously m pieces of video/audio exercises and the third part playing back simultaneously n pieces of video/audio exercises, a second turn of image/audio material comprising a first part playing back simultaneously (k+1) pieces of video/audio exercises, a second part playing back simultaneously (m+1) pieces of video/audio exercises and a third part playing back simultaneously (n+1) pieces of video/audio exercises, a pth (p is an integer not less than 3) turn of image/audio material comprises a first part playing back simultaneously (k+pxe2x88x921) pieces of video/audio exercises, a second part playing back simultaneously (m+pxe2x88x921) pieces of video/audio exercises and a third part playing back simultaneously (n+pxe2x88x921) pieces of video/audio exercises, and the first turn to the pth turn are recorded separately corresponding to the learning level of a learner.
As the multiple listening training recording mediums, a magnetic tape, a compact disc, a CD-ROM, a CD-R and the like can be used for containing image and sound that is played back by an audio player, video/audio player, or a computer.